South Africa Parliament sanctions nine Economic Freedom Fighters lawmakers Clone

Nearly two years ago, South African opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) found themselves embroiled in a contentious battle against the backdrop of parliamentary proceedings, as their verbal salvos aimed at President Cyril Ramaphosa were deemed not just disrespectful, but outright defamatory. Fast forward to the present day, and the repercussions of those incendiary remarks are only now being fully felt, echoing through the halls of power with seismic consequences.

The Powers and Privileges Committee of Parliament (Parly), charged with upholding the sanctity of parliamentary decorum, has swung its gavel, delivering a resounding verdict of contempt against a cohort of legislators. Their crime? Accusing the President of involvement in illicit financial activities, casting him as a ‘money launderer’ during a fiery session in the august chambers of the House.

In the crosshairs of parliamentary censure stand nine defiant MPs from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), who steadfastly refused to retract their inflammatory statements uttered during a pivotal budget speech back in the annals of June 2022. The subsequent adjudication by Parly, after painstaking deliberations and exhaustive debates featuring both the EFF and the ruling African National Congress (ANC), ultimately culminated in a damning guilty verdict.

Yet, this saga of parliamentary intrigue did not conclude swiftly or without drama. Rather, it unfurled in a protracted tale, replete with twists and turns, delays and deliberations, extending well into the present moment.

Amongst those MPs now branded with the ignominious label of contempt of Parliament are the likes of Mothusi Montwedi, Sinawo Tambo, and Natasha Ntlangwini, stalwarts of the EFF’s parliamentary cohort. Parly, wielding its authority with a firm hand, has wielded the sword of suspension, recommending to the National Assembly that these errant lawmakers be cast out from the hallowed halls of governance, sans remuneration, for a period stretching a month in duration.

However, the arm of punitive justice extended further still, ensnaring other members of the EFF’s parliamentary cadre. Babalwa Mathulela, Paulnita Marais, Anthony Matumba, and Naledi Chirwa have been deemed deserving of a monetary fine, the weight of which is equivalent to a staggering 30 days’ salary, as recompense for their transgressions. Meanwhile, Tseko Mafanya and Yoliswa Yako have found themselves similarly burdened, albeit to a slightly lesser extent, with fines equating to 15 days’ salary apiece.

The financial implications of these sanctions are not to be understated, particularly in the context of South Africa’s economic landscape, where the average monthly salary for an MP stands at approximately $5,300.

Yet, the repercussions extend beyond mere financial recompense. In an act of contrition—or perhaps, merely a ceremonial gesture—the impugned MPs are now compelled to prostrate themselves before the President and Parliament, issuing forth apologies in an attempt to assuage the wounds inflicted upon the dignity of the highest office and the institution of governance itself.

Yet, this is not an isolated incident of parliamentary fracas. Indeed, it marks but the latest chapter in an ongoing saga of tumult and discord, wherein the ‘red berets’ of the EFF have repeatedly clashed with the guardians of parliamentary propriety.

Recall, if you will, the disruptive spectacles witnessed during the State of the Nation Address (Sona), where the echoes of dissent reverberated through the chambers of power. In August 2022 and again during the 2023 iteration of the Sona, two EFF MPs found themselves on the wrong side of parliamentary decorum, branded with the scarlet letter of contempt.

Julius Malema, the fiery leader of the EFF, and his compatriot Mr. Tambo, were each served a month’s suspension for their disruptive antics during last year’s SONA, a punishment meted out by the very same Powers and Privileges Committee that now stands in judgment.

However, in the face of these sanctions, the EFF remains resolute, unbowed, and unbroken. In the eyes of Leigh-Ann Mathys, spokesperson for the party, the actions of the committee serve as a stark reminder of the ANC’s stranglehold on power—a power wielded not just to suppress dissent, but to silence those who dare to hold the executive to account.

“These sanctions,” she declares, with a mixture of defiance and disdain, “once again expose the ANC’s modus operandi—using its majority to shield corruption and stifle opposition voices.”

With the specter of impending elections looming large on the horizon, Mathys sees an opportunity—a chance to wrest power from the grasp of those she perceives as complicit in the malfeasance plaguing South Africa’s corridors of power. “The 29th of May 2024,” she intones, “shall serve as a reckoning—a moment to cast off the shackles of oppression and usher in a new era of accountability and transparency.”

In her eyes, the ANC stands on the precipice of irrelevance—a dying behemoth, clutching desperately at the levers of power, even as its grip inexorably weakens. And as the winds of change gather momentum, Mathys and her cohorts stand ready, poised to seize the mantle of leadership and steer South Africa towards a brighter, more equitable future.

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